New Beginnings
by defyingnormalcy
Summary: Sharon's transfer from Internal Affairs to Major Crimes causes a serious rift in her relationship with Andrea. Follows the events of the final episodes of The Closer as well as the events of season one of Major Crimes. Hobbs/Raydor fic, now complete.
1. Chapter 1

As her fingertips danced across the slightly freckled skin of the brunette in her arms, Andrea sighed happily; this was always her favourite part of making love.

Andrea was an extremely tactile woman, and she loved just laying in bed surrounded by nothing but a lover's body and a large expanse of time to enjoy one another with. It was clear when Andrea and Sharon first started seeing each other that the Captain was not an especially affectionate person, years of working in a slightly hostile environment had forced Sharon to keep her guard up at all times. A few tense discussions had occurred between them, and Andrea had to finally accept that her heart had selected an intensely private and guarded partner, and that she would have to compromise when it came to certain behaviors.

But when they were alone together like this, bodies blissfully sated and hearts still wanting more of each other, Sharon was wonderfully pliant, receptive, and loving; Andrea had come to appreciate rather than resent Sharon's private nature. Instead of feeling ignored or unappreciated, Andrea actually felt more loved and respected in her relationship with Sharon than she'd ever felt in previous relationships. The headstrong and determined Captain was an exceptional lover, and Andrea had discovered that Sharon possessed quite the romantic streak. She loved that the normally reserved and controlled woman came undone only when they were alone, for Andrea's eyes only.

"Do you need to set an alarm?" Andrea whispered between Sharon's shoulder blades. Under Andrea's gentle ministrations, Sharon squirmed, arching her bare back as her lover's hands caressed her. Soft, warm kisses peppered her shoulders and neck; this was nothing short of pure bliss.

"Already done. I have to be up a little earlier tomorrow." Her tone was apologetic; Sharon enjoyed sharing breakfast with Andrea on the rare occasions that she stayed the night. "Taylor has arranged a meeting between myself and Chief Pope for 8:00 am."

Andrea turned them slightly so that they were side by side in Sharon's luxurious queen bed.

"What's the meeting about?" Andrea inquired. Sharon sighed.

"I don't know. But it can't be good. I could just tell from Taylor's tone that it's something serious. Probably something to do with Chief Johnson's leaving," Sharon wrapped her arms around the younger woman, tucking her head under Andrea's chin, "Her entire team has been troubled since the lawsuit concluded. And now with the implementation of the Johnson Rule…" Sharon trailed off sighing.

"I can't believe that was the compromise that they agreed on," Andrea said. "Talk about a personal attack."

Sharon nodded her agreement in the crook of Andrea's neck and shoulder. "I know. And they've all been especially difficult to deal with lately, Pope and Taylor have lost their patience with Chief Johnson especially, they expect me to keep her and the rest of the department in line and quite frankly I am losing my patience with them and this whole situation. I don't know what I am going to do when she joins your department," Sharon sighed, "I can't imagine that Provenza is going to be any easier to deal with. And he's next in line as the department head."

Andrea resumed her earlier caresses to Sharon's back, hoping to soothe her frustrated lover. "They can't honestly expect you to swoop in and fix the entire department in a few months. Mistakes take twice as long to fix as they do to make, and Major Crimes has been in operation for years," she reasoned.

Sharon chuckled ruefully. "Try explaining that to them. They don't want to hear objections, they just want their agendas carried out efficiently and without error."

"You'll do your best, you always do," Andrea reassured her. "And if your best isn't good enough, they are always welcome to try it themselves. Besides, you're in Internal Affairs, not Homicide, they can't keep pulling you out of your department to follow their detectives around, and enforce their rules, you've got a job to do too."

Sharon hummed noncommittally. Her brows were still furrowed with worry and frustration and Andrea decided that she did not like this look on her lover one bit.

"Though, I'm not sure why we're discussing the incompetence of your superiors in bed," Andrea drawled, "I can think of far better things to spend our time doing."

"Is that so?" Sharon purred as Andrea slid one of her long, smooth legs between Sharon's thighs. Grinning slyly, Andrea encouraged Sharon to rock her hips against her thigh. "Oh," Sharon sighed pleasurably.

"Oh yes, and when we're done, I promise that work will be the furthest thing from your mind," Andrea said huskily as she bit and suckled the expanse of Sharon's neck and collarbone.

Andrea encouraged Sharon to lie on her back as she slid down her lover's body, kissing and caressing each inch of beautiful skin as she descended. As Andrea parted Sharon's thighs gently, Sharon wound her fingers in the soft blonde hair and just simply gave into the pleasurable sensations that Andrea lovingly coaxed from her body.

XXX

Andrea woke the next morning, muscles feeling a bit sore and pulled, but feeling better than she had in weeks. It took her a moment to realize that she was alone in bed, a quick glance at the clock on Sharon's side table indicated that it was fifteen minutes before Sharon's dreaded meeting and that her lover was likely already in the office, anxiously awaiting her superiors.

Andrea fished for her cell phone on the table, she figured that she could risk sending Sharon a quick text; Pope seldom arrived early to anything.

_Knock 'em dead. xo_

Andrea smiled goofily when Sharon's reply came in a moment later.

_xo_

XXX

Sharon could not help but stare a bit blankly at Pope and Taylor. While she had been dreading terrible news, nothing could have prepared her for the bombshell that they had just dropped on her. Of course, Sharon was already aware that Chief Johnson would be relocating to Andrea's office, but what she was not aware of was that Pope and Taylor had selected _her_ as Chief Johnson's replacement. The entire transition was to occur in four days time, and Sharon had never felt so ill prepared for anything before. Her hands felt hot and cold at the same time, dual sensations of excitement, and fear were fighting to try and overwhelm her.

"Have you briefed the rest of the Major Crimes division about this change in the chain of command?" Sharon asked tentatively, hoping that her voice didn't betray her nerves.

Pope and Taylor shared a significant look. Taylor cleared his throat. "Well, not exactly. They are aware of course of Chief Johnson's retirement from the LAPD, but they are not yet aware of who will be taking her place."

"Might I suggest that you do brief them on this matter before the transition takes place? I am sure that I don't need to remind either of you that I am not especially well liked by any member of Chief Johnson's former team," she said regretfully.

"Frankly Captain, this job is not a popularity contest. It is not required that your fellow officers _like _you," Pope said harshly.

"You are correct Chief Pope, however, it is required that my fellow officers, especially those under my command _respect _me and my rank." Taylor's jaw tightened visibly at her statement.

"I assure you Captain, that the officers of Major Crimes are nothing short of professional, and that they will indeed respect your new role as their direct superior. Now, unless there is anything else that you would like to discuss, I have been in contact with FID and they have been notified about your transition starting immediately. I expect you to report to Major Crimes in four days time, as the new head of this very elite department."

Sharon bit the inside of her lip to prevent a, _well, fuck you too, _from slipping out. "Yes Sir," she said instead.

"You don't seem very overly pleased about this Captain, I thought that you would jump at this opportunity?" Pop remarked.

"To be honest Chief, you caught me a little off guard; I was not expecting this," she replied, "but that is not to say that I am ungrateful, I look forward to contributing to the department, and working with its members," she said diplomatically.

XXX

Andrea Hobbs had been restless all day long. Her mind was whirling through all the possible outcomes of Sharon's meeting, each scenario seemingly worse and worse. She eyed her cell on the desk in front of her, Sharon had not called or texted her, and Andrea knew better than to contact her until Sharon was ready to tell her what had happened. She checked her watch for the hundredth time, it was well past 5:30 pm and Sharon should be finishing up for the day, if not already home.

The sudden, loud ring of her cell phone jolted her, and she snatched it without checking the caller ID.

"Hobbs," she answered, hoping that her anxiety was not obvious in her tone.

"It's me," Sharon said on the other end. Andrea could hear the telltale clang of Sharon's keys being dropped on the counter in her condo.

"Hi me," Andrea teased, "How did it go today?"

"It wasn't anything bad, just, unexpected. Are you home? I'd rather explain in person."

"I'm at the office still, there were a few things I had to finish up," Andrea lied. The office building was closer to Sharon's condo than Andrea's townhouse. She hadn't gone home yet just in case Sharon wanted to talk tonight. "I can come over?"

"Okay, I'll make us dinner. Chicken and rice okay?" Sharon asked.

"Perfect," Andrea replied, already grabbing her jacket and briefcase. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."

Sharon ended the call with a wide grin on her face. The initial shock from her meeting with Taylor and Pope had worn off, leaving now only the excitement and the overwhelming sense of possibility with her. Her mind seemed to practically spin with all of her high hopes for Major Crimes; she couldn't wait to break the news of her new job to Andrea. Taylor's new vision for the department would actually have Major Crimes in contact with the DA's office on a far more regular basis, which meant that Sharon would have the opportunity to work more closely with Andrea. She'd worked through all the pros and cons of the situation in her mind, and decided that the two women were professional enough to keep their personal lives out of their work, and they knew each other well enough that Sharon had no doubt they'd make an efficient team.

Humming to herself, she started to set the table, taking extra care with her most expensive wine glasses and cutlery; she was going to indulge a little tonight, both she and Andrea had earned it.

XXX

"You accepted the position?" Andrea asked incredulously. "After all of your years spent in FID, you're going to move to Homicide?" She tried to keep the anger and fear out of her voice, but without much success. Andrea had been able to easily accept Sharon's job as a police officer because her department seldom had her out in the field. Her stomach clenched violently at the thought of how dangerous fieldwork was, and how Sharon would now be placed directly in that danger.

"You sound surprised," Sharon said coolly. They'd relocated from her dinner table to the couch, as was their custom, but instead of sitting close together like they normally did, Andrea was as far away from her as possible on the narrow piece of furniture.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Andrea said simply, "Homicide isn't the department for you. I think you can do more good in FID, let Taylor find someone else to clean up Johnson's mess," she grumbled.

"You've never had an issue with my involvement with Major Crimes before now. No one is nearly as familiar with the team, and with the department as I am. I already have an established relationship with the detectives that will be under my command, and that will make this transition smoother for everyone," Sharon insisted stubbornly. She was more than a little disappointed in Andrea's reaction to her news.

But Andrea wasn't buying Sharon's well rehearsed speech. "How long has it been since you've been in the field? Fifteen years? Twenty years? Things aren't the way they were when you first started out Sharon. You've spent a lot of time on the administrative side of things, and you're good at it, really wonderful," she said, hoping that her positive encouragement would help her win this argument, "I just think that you should stick with what you are good at."

"You don't think that I can handle being out in the field," Sharon said flatly, "so you're content to just see me chained to a desk all day. Do you really think that's why I became a cop? To get stuck in a department that has left me hated and mistrusted by my fellow officers and used like a pawn by my superiors for all these years? I miss it Andrea, the feeling of being neck deep in a case, the bond that develops between the team, being respected, the feeling that I'm doing some good in this city, I miss it all so much and I have the chance to get that all back. Don't I deserve that chance?" Sharon pleaded.

"Sharon, you've said it before yourself, the team can't stand you; that's not really a wonderful foundation to build partnerships on. You really think they're going to want you interfering with their investigations permanently?" As soon as the words left her mouth Andrea regretted them. Hurt and anger flashed across her lover's face before disappearing under an indifferent and cool mask.

"Well, it seems like I am loathed no matter what department I work in, so clearly there is nothing for my to lose by my _interfering_ with Major Crimes."

"I didn't mean it like that," Andrea said, "I just-"

"No, you did mean it. You don't say things unless you really mean them, that's not like you," Sharon said quietly. "I'm sorry, I expected that you'd be happy for me, that you'd see how much I wanted this and put aside your objections for my sake. I was wrong in making that assumption on your behalf." Sharon rose from the couch, "I'm going to bed. I have another early start. Taylor and I have a series of meetings tomorrow to decide who to appoint as my replacement in FID. You're welcome to stay, but this discussion is over."

"I think it's better that I go home," Andrea replied bitterly.

Sharon blinked back the beginnings of tears. "Fine then. You can show yourself out."

Andrea silently cursed herself and her clumsy way with words as she watched Sharon retreat to her room.


	2. Chapter 2

"Come in," Andrea said without looking up. The door to her office opened and DDA Michaels let himself in.

"I'm just about to head on over to Major Crimes division now," he said gesturing to his briefcase, "Don't you usually handle those cases?" he asked.

She glared at him. "Not now Ozzy." But he took her tone as a challenge and settled himself in the chair opposite hers.

"We've worked together for seven years. When you use that tone of voice, something is seriously messed up. So talk. What happened between you two? You've been sulking all week."

"I do not sulk," she said, appalled.

"Yes, you do. Come on now, I'm close family. You can't hide from me," he said grinning.

She arched her eyebrow at him. "You married my cousin. We're hardly _close_ family." She grinned at him in spite of herself.

"You wound me," he said mockingly, "I have to work with you five days a week, while the rest of the family get a break from you for weeks, usually months at a time. That bumps me up to the close family status. Now, spill. I expected you to be in Major Crimes nearly every day given the recent change in ranks over there."

"Quite the opposite," she said curtly. "And that is all that I am saying on the matter. If you're expected in Major Crimes, I suggest that you get moving. Captain Raydor doesn't respond well to tardiness."

He regarded her closely for a moment before putting his hands up in defeat. "Fine. But a word of advice, whenever my wife and I have a spat, I've found that admitting my mistakes and asking for forgiveness usually works in my favor."

"_Go _Ozzy."

"Relax, some of the squad are still giving their statements. I won't be late."

"Statements?" Andrea asked.

"The team was cornered by the defendant and his gang at the site of the robbery, they had to draw their weapons to defend themselves," he said. "Quit sulking and start apologizing." He gave her a pointed look before leaving her office.

XXX

"May I come in?" Sharon looked up from her mountain of paperwork to see Andrea Hobbs standing nervously in her doorway.

"Now isn't the greatest time." Andrea noted how exhausted she sounded, and looked.

"I know, but I really need to talk with you," Andrea said. Sharon sighed.

"Close the door," she said, rubbing her eyes.

Andrea did as she was told, and sat at the chair in front of Sharon's new desk. "I heard what happened when Major Crimes responded to the armed robbery," she said as soon as she was seated. "Were you caught in the crossfire today?"

"No," Sharon said coolly. "I was not. I arrived after the shots were fired."

Andrea seemed to visibly relax, her shoulders slumped forward and the grip on the armrest of the chair loosened somewhat.

"If you're here to lecture me about not being at the crime scene on time, I assure you I've already heard it, from every member of this department. Most notably from Provenza, who gave me a dressing down at the scene, in front of a dozen officers," Sharon nodded towards the chaos of officers and boxes of evidence just outside her office.

"Lecture you?" Andrea asked, confused and hurt, "I'm here because when Ozzy told me that officers from Major Crimes had gotten caught in the crossfire today I thought that you'd -" Andrea paused, her voice shaking as her anger and fear got the better of her, "I thought that you'd been hit. I pretty much ran across the street because I needed to see that you were okay," she said quietly.

"Well, I am fine, as you can see," Sharon said stubbornly.

"And what if you weren't? What if you'd been shot?" Andrea insisted. "What if you had been killed?"

"That's a risk that I must be prepared to take," Sharon said, "It's the risk that all police officers have to be ready to take on a daily basis."

"Well, it's not a risk that I am willing to take. I can't do this, I can't sit in my office and not worry about you being out there. I could handle you behind a desk, I _liked_ it when you were in FID. I didn't have to worry about your safety. I didn't have to worry about you actually using your gun. I haven't been able to concentrate at all the last few days because each time I see a cop car drive by I imagine that it's you, on your way into an ambush," Andrea said, raising her voice, "You think that the decision to accept this transfer was yours alone to make, but it wasn't. Did you for a second consider how this would affect me? You don't get to take stupid, risky chances like your life doesn't mean a thing to the people who care about you, it's not fai-"

A loud, rather rude knock startled both women. Andrea turned around and saw Lt. Provenza grumpily trying to get Sharon's attention through the glass windows.

"I really don't have time for this right now," Sharon said, "As you can see, I have a department who thinks of my presence as _interfering _to run." Sharon rose from her desk, opening the door for Andrea.

"I deserved that," Andrea admitted sadly. She placed her hand overtop Sharon's on the door. "I'm really glad that you're okay," she said quietly before taking the hint and leaving Sharon's office.

"Captain," Provenza grumbled, "Are you going to grace your division with your presence?"

"Yes Lt., what can I do for you?" Sharon schooled herself into the picture perfect example of complete professionalism. Now was not the time to dwell on the fact that in one week, her world had been turned completely upside down, professionally and personally.


	3. Chapter 3

A relationship between the two of them was an objective that Andrea had been working towards ever since laying eyes on Sharon. Andrea was a woman that knew what she wanted, and was never afraid to go after it. From their first introduction, it was clear that she wanted the Captain in her life outside of their professional relationship. But Sharon was possibly the most infuriating woman she'd ever met, and after months of dropping subtle, flirtatious hints Andrea still had no idea if the older woman reciprocated her interest. Frustrated, Andrea concluded that maybe the Captain just wasn't interested, and so, she had taken her wounded ego and broken heart and she'd backed off. The shift in their relationship from occasional co-workers to lovers hadn't occurred until the mafia hired hitman's unsuccessful attempt on her life.

_"That's broken," a familiar voice informed her. Andrea turned around to find Sharon Raydor smiling at her. A quick glance around the break room indicated that the two women were completely alone. _

_"Great," Andrea grumbled, "Of all the days to break down, it had to be the day that I most needed a coffee." She tapped the side of the coffee machine, annoyed with her rotten luck all day. Narrowly escaping death by a professional hitman she could handle, being denied her afternoon coffee, she could not. Sharon chuckled and moved closer, standing right next to Andrea. Andrea could smell the sweet scent of her perfume; it was absolutely intoxicating. _

_"How's the arm?" Sharon asked, gesturing towards the bandage on Andrea's upper arm. She'd removed the FBI jacket that Agent Howard had given her so that she could redress the wound, leaving her in nothing but her tank top and slacks, under the Captain's intense gaze, Andrea felt nearly naked. _

_"Fine," Andrea said with false bravado. "Only required three stitches. It's more an annoyance than anything."_

_"I'm glad that it wasn't anything more serious," Sharon said warmly, "You gave us all quite a scare." _

_"Well, I suppose I have you to thank for it not being anything more life-threatening. I heard that you took the shooter down?" _

_Sharon grinned in that way that made Andrea's heart flutter. "All in a days work," she said, her voice was huskier than normal. "I know this sounds terrible, but I am glad that today's turn of events brought you here. You rarely stop by anymore," Sharon observed. _

_Andrea had to fight the urge to grab this infuriating, gorgeous, smart-ass woman and kiss her senseless. _

_Sharon seemed to sense her internal conflict. "You know, you could have saved us both a lot of time, and trouble, by just speaking your mind. Sometimes, being a little obvious isn't a bad thing." _

_"I don't know what you're referring to," Andrea countered. Two could play at this game. _

_Sharon hummed; _bullshit, _she seemed to imply. "That's a shame," she sighed. She looked Andrea up and down, before turning on her heel and making her way towards the door. "When you figure it out, I like white wine and wouldn't say no to dinner this Friday evening." She looked like the cat that ate the canary, and Andrea couldn't help but admire the woman for her confidence. _

_"Well then, you should aim to be at my place by 7:00 pm on Friday, because I'm a fantastic cook, and happen to have an entire rack of white wine for you to choose from," Andrea said. _

_"Perfect," Sharon said silkily. _

_Both women had overbearingly smug looks plastered on their faces. _

Andrea was presently curled up on the left side of her bed. She couldn't bring herself to stretch out over to the right side, that had been Sharon's side of the bed ever since their first night together.

She sighed as she recalled how stunning Sharon had looked the first time she opened her front door to find her standing on the other side. It had taken a considerable amount of willpower to make it through dinner and coffee while keeping her hands to herself. Luckily, the Captain seemed to have been in the same boat as Andrea, so when they'd relocated to Andrea's living room, Sharon had wasted no time in initiating their first kiss. Andrea recalled the feel of the older woman's soft lips, the strength and comfort of her embrace. She hugged the tangled sheets around her more tightly; there was no denying it, Andrea missed Sharon more than she ever thought possible.

_"Andrea, relax," Sharon chided as Andrea wound her arms enthusiastically around Sharon's neck. "You've only just gotten stitches, I refuse to be responsible for ripping any of them." _

_"It's nothing," Andrea said between kisses to the brunette's jaw and neck, "really, I'm fine." She had been driving Andrea crazy all night; her impossibly long legs were bare thanks to the simple black dress that she wore. Andrea had been fighting the temptation to caress those long, shapely limbs ever since she opened the door to her home this evening to invite Sharon inside. _

_Sharon rolled her eyes and grinned at Andrea's eagerness. It felt good to be so clearly wanted, especially by someone that she wanted just as badly, but Sharon did not want their first time to be a quick tryst on the couch. "Andrea Hobbs, if you're planning on making love to me tonight, you had better take me to bed. I'm far too old to try doing this on the couch," Sharon said, a touch of humour evident in her tone. _

_"That's a shame," Andrea pouted, "I have quite a few fantasies involving this couch, and the dining room table, not to mention my shower..." she smirked against the smooth, hot skin of Sharon's neck. _

_Sharon laughed out loud. "Bed. Now," she ordered. _

_Andrea mock saluted her, "Yes Captain, right this way Captain." Sharon went to playfully smack Andrea's uninjured arm, but Andrea caught her hand, bringing it to her lips for a kiss. _

_She guided Sharon down the narrow hallway and into the master bedroom, flicking only half of the lights on once they were inside. Their sense of urgency seemed to calm a bit, now that they were actually here, about to make love for the first time. Andrea pulled Sharon towards her, kissing her deeply as her hands rested on the smaller woman's hips. She felt Sharon moan against her lips and she decided right then and there that it was the sexiest sound she'd ever heard. Her hands tugged lightly at the side zipper in Sharon's dress, they parted briefly so that Sharon could lift her arms, allowing Andrea to unzip her. The dress came up and over her head, leaving her in nothing but a tantalizing black lace bra and matching panties. Andrea brushed her hands over the smooth, pale skin of Sharon's stomach. "You're so beautiful," she said. _

_Sharon kissed her hard, her own hands now busy with the buttons on Andrea's light blue blouse, the colour had looked lovely on the blonde, bringing out her stunning eyes. But Sharon had spent the better part of the evening wondering what lay underneath the delicate fabric. _

_"Here, let me." Andrea tugged the garment off of her with far less patience than Sharon, her eager hands then helped Sharon undo the dark grey slacks, hastily kicking them off of her legs. _

_"Lay down," Sharon said, pushing Andrea lightly onto the inviting mattress so that she could straddle her. "Mmm, much better," she sighed as she wrapped her arms around Andrea's nearly naked torso, loving how the blonde instinctively pulled her their hips close together. Sharon rocked her hips against Andrea's, both women groaned softly with pleasure. _

_Andrea flicked the front clasp of Sharon's bra open with ease, grinning widely at the sight of her bare breasts. Sharon sighed appreciatively as Andrea's full lips explored the newly bared skin; Sharon couldn't help but bury her fingers in her hair as Andrea's tongue danced across Sharon's sensitive flesh. She moaned loudly as Andrea encouraged her to rock her hips harder, faster; pleasure flickered delightfully across every nerve ending in her body. _

_One of Andrea's hands pushed aside the delicate lace of Sharon's panties to caress her. "Yes," Sharon hissed as Andrea circled her hyper sensitive clit. Her breathing came in short, harsh pants, it had been far too long since she'd taken a lover, especially one so in-tune with her body's responses. This was going to be over far too quickly, but Sharon was so caught up in the dual sensation of Andrea's wickedly talented tongue and fingers, that she could only give into the waves of pleasure that violently crashed into her. _

_Andrea's wrist was beginning to cramp, thanks to the somewhat awkward position, but there was no way in hell that she was going to stop, not while Sharon Raydor was grinding against her lap, face flushed and head thrown back in ecstasy. She felt Sharon's body tense, and then contract several times, her back becoming rigid as her orgasm ripped through her. She was gorgeous, her lips were slightly parted, hair wild and tumbling down her bare back; Andrea had never seen a more beautiful sight. _

_"Oh," Sharon half-groaned, half-sighed before sagging against Andrea's strong shoulders. Andrea kissed the sweaty skin of Sharon's neck and shoulders while her hands smoothed up and down the length of her back. Gently, Andrea rolled them both on their sides so that they were facing each other. She made quick work of Sharon's panties before hitching Sharon's long leg to rest above her hip. _

_Sharon's eyes widened with realization and she kissed Andrea hungrily. "This seems a little unfair," she whispered against Andrea's swollen lips. _

_"My bed, my rules," Andrea retorted, nudging Sharon's nose adoringly. She grunted in protest, but then moaned in pleasure as Andrea's hand returned to her slick, heated sex. Andrea eased one finger inside of Sharon, groaning at the incredible feeling of being joined so intimately with the beautiful woman in her arms. _

_"More," Sharon urged, rolling her hips lazily against Andrea's shallow penetration. Andrea obliged, adding a second finger and setting an easy, unhurried pace. Sharon buried her face in the crook of Andrea's neck, moaning her pleasure against her lover's skin. It was music to Andrea's ears. Andrea was so caught up in the feeling of Sharon surrounding her, that she hadn't noticed one of Sharon's hands slipping between her thighs to tug the dark purple lace of her panties aside. _

_Sharon tipped her head upwards, swallowing Andrea's moan as she began to match Andrea's rhythm. "Sneaky," Andrea gasped between heated kisses. "Oh, harder," she groaned, thrusting her hips eagerly. Their pace grew frantic with need and impending release; Andrea shuddered as she climaxed first, Sharon following her not long after. _

_Sharon took advantage of Andrea's momentary fatigue, pushing her onto her back, and divesting her of the bra and underwear that were serving only as a barrier right now. Andrea wrapped her legs around Sharon, loving the way that the smaller woman fit so perfectly against her body. _

_Sharon started her slow descent, using her mouth and hands to pay worship to every curve of the blonde's beautiful body. Reaching her thighs, she parted them gently, resting each leg on her shoulders. _

_Andrea groaned loudly, she was totally enraptured by the image of Sharon Raydor nestled between her legs, wearing nothing but the sly grin that she'd come to adore. The first touch of Sharon's lips and tongue against Andrea's flesh had Andrea bucking her hips so hard that she nearly knocked them both off the bed. _

_"Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed at her clumsiness. _

_"Don't you dare apologize for enjoying this," she said, sucking the delicate skin of Andrea's inner thigh, "A little push and shove, I can handle," Sharon replied easily. She bent her head to taste Andrea again, this time, Andrea remembered to breathe, rocking her hips with far less force against Sharon's mouth. Sharon sought each erogenous area of the blonde's inner thighs, hips, and sex, coaxing wave after wave of pleasure from her until Andrea collapsed weakly, her sweaty legs slipping from Sharon's shoulders. _

_"Get up here," Andrea croaked, "I don't think I can move anymore." _

_Sharon took the scenic route up, pausing to kiss and tickle each freckle or birthmark she found on Andrea's hips and thighs. Sharon curled herself around Andrea's body, tracing her still-quivering stomach muscles and lightly running her fingertips across the smooth curve of her breasts. _

_"How's your arm? Did we do any damage?" _

_Andrea lifted her arm for inspection. "We're good. Stitches are still in place," she informed her. _

_"Good," Sharon sighed, "That might have been a bit embarrassing to explain to a physician," she chuckled. _

_Andrea tugged the rumpled sheets to cover their cooling bodies. "You'll stay?" she asked, unsure of how she'd react if Sharon said no. _

_The brunette crushed her lips against hers, making her intentions quite evident. "Try and kick me out," she said. _

_They fell asleep, limbs still curled around each other; neither woman willing to let go just yet. _

Andrea squirmed against the firm mattress, the vivid memory of making love to Sharon was causing her body to crave her lover's touch. She tossed and turned, trying to will her body to calm down. _Sharon's not here, _she thought bitterly.

The loud, insistent ringing of her cell was a welcome distraction, until Andrea checked the caller ID. "Great," she murmured to herself.

"Andrea?"

"Hi," Andrea replied. There was a prolonged pause.

"How are you?" Sharon asked, sounding like she was holding back tears.

"I'm - I miss you. I want to say that I'm fine but I haven't been for days," she admitted. "How have you been?" she asked.

"I, I've been thinking about what you said. About making a decision on both of our behalves. And I realize now, that it was selfish of me not to consider how you might be affected by my choice to move to Major Crimes," Sharon said, in a rush. Pride had ruled her actions lately; she hoped that humility and love would help guide her words now.

Andrea nodded her head to herself. "I should have been more understanding, I should have been able to see how excited you were, but I was just so blind-sighted by the whole thing, and all I think about was how dangerous the job was, and how everyday I'd be worrying about the possibility of you coming home in a body bag. I love you Sharon, and I don't think I am strong enough to deal with that fear every single day, but the idea of not being with you is even more terrifying. So, I am going to try to be strong for you, if you'll let me try..."

Sharon sighed. "You know, for an attorney, you are really terrible with words. You could have just said that the first time, I might have even found your objections endearing," Andrea could hear her choking back a sob.

"I know, I'm a wreck outside of a courtroom," Andrea said, chuckling. "Can I ask you something? What made you call? You still seemed really pissed at work."

"Rusty said something to me tonight. I told him that not many people around here address me by my given name, and he said that's why I lived alone; he was implying that I don't let people get close, and I realized how right he was. I don't want to be alone," she said, sounding more fragile than Andrea had ever heard her.

"You're not," Andrea insisted, "I'm here and you are totally stuck with me."

"Good, I like being stuck with you," Sharon said softly. "I wish you could come over." Regret coloured her tone.

Andrea sighed. She'd heard through the grapevine that Sharon had offered to take Rusty in while the details of the trial were being worked through, and until the LAPD could locate his mother. "I know, me too. But just think of how amazing it'll be when I do get you alone," she said, "I have a _really_ big apology to make."

"I'm going to hold you to that," Sharon said. She sighed heavily, "I have to go now, Rusty and I got into a bit of an argument tonight, and I need to smooth things over with him."

"Go," Andrea urged, her tone understanding, "maybe we can have lunch tomorrow, talk some more?"

"I'd like that." Andrea could tell that Sharon was smiling on the other end of the phone.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then," Andrea said.

"Yes, you will. I love you," Sharon said.

The soft beep indicating that the call had ended was not unwelcome to either woman, not when resolution and hope filled the space between them. Andrea turned over in bed, this time straying over to the right. She nuzzled the pillow, which still smelled like Sharon's shampoo, and fell asleep moments later with a content smile on her face.


	4. Chapter 4

"Do you have your movie ticket?" Sharon asked, handing Rusty a twenty dollar bill, "Here, in case you want snacks."

"Thanks," he said brightly, taking the offered cash, "Ticket is in my pocket. Derek is bringing the 3D glasses. Jack and his girlfriend are going to drive us home after," he said, already anticipating her next few questions.

"What movie is it you're seeing again?" she asked, absently straightening the collar on his plaid shirt.

"Skyfall. It's a James Bond movie."

"Oh, I never liked the Bond films all that much," she said, "But let me know how it is anyway."

"Sure," he grabbed his shoes and sweater, "Hey what time is Andrea coming by?" he asked. "I wanted to say hello," he explained.

"She'll be here soon," she said casually. He tugged both sneakers on and shrugged his sweater over his shoulders.

Each day she counted her blessings that her foster child and partner were both so fond of one another; she didn't know what she would have done had that not been the case. Andrea was such a natural with Rusty; her dry, and often sarcastic, sense of humour was a real hit with the teen. And, as it turned out, Andrea was also an avid spaghetti western fan, possessing a ridiculously large collection of the DVDs, which she often brought over to watch with them. Of course, this made her immeasurably cool in Rusty's eyes, which meant that after their dinners or lunches together, Sharon was forced to sit through said films. Though, with Andrea's arm around her, and Rusty's palpable enthusiasm setting the mood, the cheesy dialogue and ridiculous plots became much more tolerable; and for the sake of their happiness, Sharon sat through them.

Sharon has asked one night if Andrea had ever considered raising children of her own, complimenting her on her patience, skill, and obvious joy when it came to Rusty. The blonde had shrugged shyly, saying that she had always wanted a child, but that the woman she had lived with for ten years did not share her interest, so she had contented herself on spoiling her nieces and nephews. With Rusty and Sharon in her life now, she'd been given the chance to help parent a child on a nearly daily basis, between driving him to school, helping him with his homework, or simply enjoying his company at dinner or while watching television.

"Are you two going out to a restaurant or something? That's a really nice dress." Rusty took in her fancy red cocktail dress and shiny black heels. Normally she changed into something more casual when she got home from work.

"Thank you," she said at his compliment, "But, no, we're staying in." Her face reddened somewhat. "When you get to be my age, you look forward to relaxing on your Friday night." She winked at him self- depreciatingly.

"Uh huh, relaxing, sure," he gave her a knowing smirk. Sometimes this boy was far too clever for his own good. "Should I knock three times or something before coming in tonight?" He threw a look of contrived innocence her way.

"Oh, go on," she huffed, "worry about having a good time with your friends. Call me if you need anything, Andrea and I will come and pick you up if you want to leave the theatre early, or if you change your mind and don't want to see the movie at all," she said, following him to her front door.

"I will," he said seriously, knowing it was better to just agree with her than insist that she didn't need to worry about him.

Rusty opened the door to her condo, just as Andrea was raising her hand to knock on the door. "Hey Rusty," she greeted him warmly, "on your way out?" she asked.

"Yeah, looks like you're on your way in." He cocked his head at the white roses she was holding. "She'll like those," he said in a stage whisper, obviously signaling his approval as well.

He'd been a bit shocked when Sharon had revealed their relationship to him, but he'd gotten over that shock the moment that he saw how Andrea treated her, and that she never once made Rusty feel like his presence was resented. He had realized then, with blinding clarity, that what they had was a true partnership; a relationship built on mutual trust and respect, not on resentment, selfishness, dependency, or greed.

"I love them," Sharon confirmed as Andrea handed her the small bouquet. Anticipating such a gift, as Andrea rarely came by without a flower or small bouquet, she placed them in the vase on her dinner room table. The simple arrangement complimented the plate setting nicely.

Both women stared at each other with barely concealed adoration, and Rusty couldn't help but make a comment. "Still here, wait until I've left and the door is locked," he said with good humour. Andrea winked at him conspiratorially, loving how the simple gesture made Sharon blush profusely.

Sharon rolled her eyes affectionately, dragging him into a brief embrace. "Have fun," she repeated.

"Yeah, you too," he said; returning her embrace had become such an easy gesture to him now. With one last smirk, he closed the door to her condo, leaving Sharon alone with Andrea for the first time in a very long time.

"Did we just get out-sassed by a sixteen year old?" the blonde asked as she wrapped her arms around Sharon's waist. Sharon leaned into her lover's embrace, feeling safe and at home within the confines of Andrea's arms.

"Mmm, that we did. Welcome to one of the many joys of raising teenagers," she chuckled, kissing Andrea briefly. Andrea's hands drifted from their place on Sharon's waist to cup her ass fondly, bringing their bodies even closer together.

"You know, the movie he's seeing is like three hours long," Andrea whispered against Sharon's lips, "plus it will take him a good half hour to get there and back..."

"Is that so?" Sharon said teasingly.

"Mmhmm, and remember, I have a _really_ big apology to make."


End file.
